Hey all,

I recently became a firearms instructor for my local PD.  Were looking at revamping our handgun qualification course for both day and night, and I was curious what other departments out there were doing?  
Currently were shooting the following all from holstered:

3 yards: strong hand only hipfire 2 rounds; repeated 4 times
5 yards: strong hand only 5 rounds; transition; 5 rounds weak hand only
7 yards: transition to cover at 7 yard line; 5 rounds left side supported; reload; 5 rounds right side supported
10 yards: on "knife" draw and hold at low ready on target; on "threat" fire 3 rounds; repeat 3 times
15 yards: transition to cover and fire 2 rounds; repeat 2 times
25 yards: 3 rounds prone, kneeling, and standing

Total = 50 rounds

If anyone has anything they'd like to share I'd love to hear it and include whether your local, state, or federal.

No Mozambique Drill (body armor drill)?

Target faces; Draw; 2 Center mass; 1 to the head
Stay aimed in
Target faces (shorter this time); Draw; 2 center mass; 1 to the head
Stay aimed in
<strong></strong>Target faces (shorter this time); Draw; 2 center mass; 1 to the head

We shoot minimum standards required by the state. 40 Rounds... 15 yard max and no weak hand shooting, all standing.

That being said, we have plenty of advanced shooting courses that are paid for thru training.

And on a sidenote. My department just went 9mm only based on the BS FBI report that came out showing my beloved 45 was 4% more affective than a 9mm... but I'm grandfathered-in with my G21SF and I'm not dumping it. I did finally qualify with my new 9mm Shield but due to the drizzling rain I decided not to qualify with my G27 (grandfathered on the 40 too). So as of right now, both my 40's were be retired to the back of the safe....maybe to never see light again...

Gotcha.  Our firearms department has been pushing for 9mm, but dont have the budget for 75 new G17's, and upper staff aren't sold on the caliber.

These are also just our qualifications.  We are required to shoot quarterly.  2 dates for rifle and pistol quals, and two dates for rifle and pistol training.

Quals are yearly for us. And our firearms are personally owned for the most part, so swiching to 9mm is a cost saving move for the agency. The FBI report gave them the ammo to push the policy. Our rifle policy started out with a yearly qual and a seperate refresher course. They finally figured out that many were not taking the refresher as required by policy. They finally dropped it and put them both together to make sure everyone would stay current.

My own personal opinion is that handgun quals should include weak hand and low light shooting. I also don't personally see the point in 25 yard shots with a handgun (for qualifications). IMO it wastes rounds that could be used to direct Officers to pursue range time in more practicable scenarios. Just my 2 cents.

Be safe brother.

I created a more or less short version of the FBI qualification.
Everything is from the duty holster with retentions in place.

Using the FBI Qit-99

3 yards, strong hand only 2 rounds in 2.5 seconds. X2 Then strong hand, 2 Rounds, weak hand 2 Rounds in 4 seconds.

Both hands for remainder of course.

5 yards, 3 Rounds in 3 seconds
5 yards, 3 Rounds reload 3 Rounds in 6 seconds.

7 yards, 3 Rounds in 3 seconds. x2

10 yards 3 Rounds in 3 seconds. x2

15 yd, 3 Rounds in 6 seconds. x2

Score is 100% to pass. Instructors 100% on a 70% size Target.

Then I have gas blowback airsoft pistol and M4 scenario training.

Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission Handgun Qualification

Whomever wrote this thing was in love with off-the-clock tactical reloads.
I do like that a primary malfunction clearance is part of the qual.

ICE course of fire.

Any time limits?  I don't see any mentioned.  Adding a timer increases stress, it's easy to draw and fire with no real pressure, but adding that time clock means being able to get a good grip quickly and a smooth draw and presentation.  Even just looking at the NRA/Winchester Defensive Pistol qualification series, they have timed shooting events (although the time limits are still pretty generous).  To take the advanced pistol classes at Rogers Shooting School, the standard is, starting with hands at chest level, being able to draw and place two rounds on target at ten yards in under two seconds.  The famous Tueller drill boils down to a single shot on target advancing from seven yards in 1.5 seconds or less (adding lateral movement is a good idea as well, but harder to do on a square range).

ETA:  I agree with the poster above about adding some low-light shooting.  Bonus points if they have to distinguish between shoot and no-shoot targets under low-light :-)

Have you checked yours and other states post requirements?  IIRC, colorado post has the state qual course on it, though it is a pain to find.

Just went to the range and shot this. Good test and I printed out a few more copies.

We are a local PD in Texas. We start at 25 and move in. 50 round course 70% to pass 90% to qualify expert or qualify firearms instructor. We shoot way more at longer ranges because it is more difficult and we fire 12 of our 50 rounds at 25. 6 shots slow fire, from the holster and then three sets of two from the holster. We do it standing only. Most shooters don't drop points in close. Quals have certain mandates in Texas like 70% to pass, 15 yard range minimum for handgun, etc. Quals are not training, they are quals. If you can hit from 25 you have decent fundamentals. We do one year daylight qual, next year, night qual. Texas requires a mandatory speed reload in the qual somewhere, ours is at 7 yards. We use 50 rounds because it is a box of ammo and easy to keep track of. Our required strong/weak hand only shooting is last and at 3 yards. Quals are not designed to be a shooting class or training scenario, they are to demonstrate minimal requisite proficiency for department liability purposes.

I’m a firearms instructor for my department here in LA. I’m gonna post a link to our course in .pdf format if you want it.

Stage I
*25 yards

6 rounds standing, strong side barricade, strong hand
6 rounds standing, barricade, strong hand or support hand, off-side
(60 seconds)

*NOTE:  Movement to barricade required, maximum distance 5 yards.
Stage II
*15 yards

3 rounds right side kneeling position**
3 rounds left side kneeling position**
(35 seconds – movement time included)
(30 seconds for indoor range)

*NOTE:  Movement to kneeling position from 25-yard line to 15-yard line.
**NOTE:  Shooter will “simulate” the usage of a low barricade if no barricade is available.
Stage III
7 yards

Phase I  
6 rounds strong hand only from the holster.  Ready gun after rounds are fired.
(10 seconds)

Phase II
6 rounds support hand only from ready gun
(10 seconds)

Phase III
6 rounds standing
6 rounds kneeling – reload while kneeling*
(25 seconds)

*NOTE:  Mandatory reloading for all weapons during Phase III.
Stage IV
4 yards

Phase I   **Headshots mandatory**
2 rounds body, 1 round head, step right, hold cover (3seconds)
2 rounds body, 1 round head, step left (3 seconds)
scan and holster

Phase II **Headshots mandatory**
2 rounds body, 1 round head, step left, hold cover (3seconds)
2 rounds body, 1 round head, step right (3 seconds)
scan and holster

Stage V
2 yards

2 rounds, one or two hands (2 seconds)
Close quarter shooting position from holster with one full step to the rear.
Repeat twice

Target:?LA P-1
Possible Points:?120
Qualification:?96 (80% overall)
Scoring:?Inside ring = 2 points
?Outside ring = 1 point

POST Handgun

POST Patrol Rifle

We left the static range model about 10 years ago.  Qualification is different every year but requires a minimum of the following: 25% of rounds must be fired from 25 yards, minimum 50 rounds for pistol and 10 rounds for rifle and shotgun.  Everything is Pass/Fail with passing being 70%. What we do now is set up an many as 50 targets in different scenarios and combine rifle and pistol in one course (sometimes shotgun is in the mix as well).  Officers will do combination of room clears, simulated hallways, cars, windows, shooting around barricades etc and lots of movement. The course will require them to start with fully loaded magazines, manage all reloads, malfunctions, and transitions between long gun and handgun based upon the threat(s) presented.  We have begun adding in multiple officer drills as well requiring them to work together to clear rooms etc.  It takes a lot longer to complete the course when compared to the old static model but it is more fun and gets our people out of their comfort zone and adds stressors that a standard qual does not.  We did this because training time is limited along with our budget and poor tactical thinking and poor weapon skills are easier to spot and correct.

Here is the course we use. I have been a rangemaster since 2004 and this was what the state gave us then and we have stayed with it.

Attached File
Attached File
Attached File

I'll have to ask one of our instructors for the exact course of fire, as I can never remember exactly. But it's along these lines.

Stage 1: 25 yards. Draw from holster 4 rounds, followed by 5 rounds from contact ready.

Stage 2: 15 yards. Can't remember exactly how many rounds.

Stage 3: 7 yards. This stage includes both a tactical exchange and an empty gun reload.

Stage 4: 3 yards. One handed shooting, including with non dominant hand. 2 to the chest, 1 to the head following a step either right or left off the x.

There are 2-3 sequences of fire per stage, every sequence is timed. You get the most time at 25 yards (something like 4 rounds in 6 seconds from the holster) and it gets progressively faster from there.

If anyone is interested, I can ask an instructor for the exact times and round count.